1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

They don't make 'em like they used to...BS!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CU-k0XmLUk&hd=1

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Check out the crumple zones on that Bel Air.

Crash safety has really gone down hill since the 50's.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Are you kidding me?!?! You obviously didn't watch the video or read the text at the end.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Yes, I am kidding.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

LOL the front of the bel-air was in the passenger compartment!

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

That's amazing. The Malibu's passenger compartment remained intact while the Bel Air basically fell apart.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

wow!

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

I think it probably has to do with how narrow the frame is in the front of the Bel Air. If you think about it most of what the Malibou hit was just inner and outer fender sheet metal and the front suspension.

The wonders of unibody construction.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

quite amusing. I dunno about knee injury though. I'd be pretty bustd if I ever crashed into a Bel-Air. lol.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

That is a very good point. Since the bodies were not meant to take most of the weight and stress, and the frame being narrow, the unibody has a much better chance at that sort of crash.

It would be very interesting to see the same test performed with a 60's vehicle with unibody construction.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Doesn't matter. The video isn't about 60's cars, it's about a car that was new when the standards were first instituted.


Did you see the 50 years worth of dust and shit that flew off the bel air upon impact? Also, I bet the bel air internet forums are up in arms about this.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

All I am doing is pointing out why the huge old car crumpled like it did. I never meant to justify it's behavior in the crash.

thx

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

What a waste of a classic...

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Not at all. It went to a very good cause and shows us just how far we've come in 50 years. What was once a deadly accident is now something you can most likely walk or at least limp away from.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

I would like to just say my 70 charger destroyed a subaru wagon all i had to do was loosen the fender bolts to straighten everything back out.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

There was actually quite a bit of frame damage to the Bel Air. The front bumper is practically into the firewall on the driver's side, and the left front corner is about where the middle of the engine bay was, You can't tell me the frame didn't take the majority of the stress there. Hell, the passenger side windshield post was buckled at almost a 45 degree angle. That kind of damage wouldn't happen if all the Malibu hit was sheet metal and suspension.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Seat belts weren't manditory until the mid 60's. Old cars were certain death.


The term they don't make them like they used to is reffering to the the fact that they were made out of metal. (no plastic inside or outside)
Plus you could actually repair a minor collision instead of scrapping the car because of the crumple zones.

And they had style, people actually wanted to by them :lol:








I'd like to see that test again with a direct front hit instead of offset

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Yeah, one thing I noticed was the difference in the hoods of each car. Bel Air: almost perfect. Malibu: not so much.

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

Just because it is big and heavy does not make it strong. I would guess they have the offset head on crash test for crossing over crashes or 2 lane high way crashes.

~John

Re: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
 

It may not be strong, but the big and heavy part does play a significant role. In certain types of crashes, the bel air would decimate the 'bu.